Can We Pray to Allah to Make Us a Change Agent?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question: Assalamu alaykum
I observe corruption of the religion in my community but I do not have sufficient capacity to correct it more so it will take years of effort and struggle. Although I made it part of my life goal to do the best within my capacity, sometimes I feel maybe I am insincere or just looking for fame but I will respond to my soul that I only want to do it for Allah’s sake. Is it okay to pray to Allah to make me a change agent to revive His true religion in that community and to be remembered for that?
Answer: Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh
Thank you for your question.
Sincerity
Praying to be made an agent of change is an excellent du’a, however it may be better to not ask to be remembered for such deeds, Sincerity is a condition for the any service one does for the sake of Allah, and it is easy for one’s intention to be corrupted – even to a subtle degree. You should ask Allah to make you a sincere slave and then take steps to serve Him. Let Him decide whether you get recognition for that in this world or not. If He grants you sincerity you will see the recognition one day.
Concern
The concern that you feel is a great blessing from Allah which you should be grateful for. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘The religion is sincere concern.’ The companions asked ‘For who?’ He replied. ‘For Allah, His book, His Messenger, the rulers of the Muslims and the generality of them.’ (Muslim). One of the best ways to help your community is to seek Sacred Knowledge, because everything sound is founded upon sound knowledge.
Then, one can try to help them. The soundest approach is what has been narrated through Anas b. Malik, ‘Indeed, the most beloved servants to Allah are those who make Allah beloved to His servants, and the servants of Allah beloved to Allah, and they walk the earth with sincere concern.’ (Bayhaqi)
May Allah bless you with the best of both worlds.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 to study and sit at the feet of some of the most erudite scholars of our time.
Over the following eighteen months he studied a traditional curriculum, studying with scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish.
In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years, in Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Shama’il, and Logic with teachers such as Dr Ashraf Muneeb, Dr Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr Mansur Abu Zina amongst others. He was also given two licences of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabr and Shaykh Yahya Qandil.
His true passion, however, arose in the presence of Shaykh Ali Hani, considered by many to be one of the foremost tafsir scholars of our time who provided him with the keys to the vast knowledge of the Quran. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic Sciences, Tafsir, Arabic Grammar, and Rhetoric.
When he finally left Jordan for the UK in 2014, Shaykh Ali gave him his distinct blessing and still recommends students in the UK to seek out Shaykh Abdul-Rahim for Quranic studies. Since his return he has trained as a therapist and has helped a number of people overcome emotional and psychosomatic issues. He is a keen promoter of emotional and mental health.
